Forces of Social Change

READ THE ARTICLES AND CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING: Was there a social change that took

place in your article? What was the society like before

the change took place? What was the society like after the

social change? What factor(s) caused the change

to take place? Was it a positive or negative

change for the majority of the population? – (significance)

GEOGRAPHY - ENVIRONMENT Geography - natural lay of the land has

affected the way societies have developedThings like bodies of water, mountains, inlets,

flat lands all affect the way a society develops Geography can also prevent social

change Natural disasters can also drastically

change a societyFloods, earthquakes and volcanoes

GEOGRAPHY - PROXIMITY How close another cultural group is to a

society can cause it to change Societies that live in close proximity to

others tend to change more rapidly than those who are remote

Exchanges between cultures are known as intercultural contact In the past this occurred through wars,

exploration and tradeToday this includes the exchange of ideas,

trade, globalization and tourism

EXTERNAL EVENTS Events that have occurred on a

large scale affecting an entire nation or several nations

These events have a large and immediate impact on social change

Examples???American Civil War –abolished slaveryWWII –forced women into the

workforce and they never returned home

September 11/2001 –a change of thought regarding (inter)national threat and security

TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMIC CHANGES Throughout history, technology has

strongly affected the way societies are designed and how they keep changing

Agricultural advancements such as irrigation, the plow, and the cotton gin are responsible for surpluses of food, which lead to population growth and urbanization.

The computer is a revolutionary invention which is the major piece of technology in contemporary culture.

We will focus more in this unit on how technology impacts social change…

CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP Sociologist Max Weber claimed that one of the

most important components of social change was a LEADER with CHARISMA (large vision, magnetic style, strong popular support and extraordinary character).

This leader places great demands on his or her followers, BUT also promises rewards for their support.

Examples???

CHARISMA, MORALITY AND GOOD LEADERSHIP This leader may be good or bad, but for

sociologists these critiques should be value free and focus on the leadership skills –Were they an effective leader? Not ...Were

they a moral leader?What qualities made/make these leaders

charismatic to the population?

MODERNIZING ELITES Small group who control society’s

wealth

These groups create significant social change

Social change is usually achieved by various modernizing elites and not a single leader

Examples???

POPULATION WANTING CHANGE

Occurs when a population is ready for change and most often is protesting for it

Visions for change have to match the mood of the public if public doesn’t want to change, it is unlikely to happen

Examples???

ADVOCACY (ACTIVIST) RESEARCH Research aimed to highlight social

inequality After research is complete, the

researchers become advocates for the studied group and help fight for the social change

THE OPPOSITE OF SOCIAL CHANGE – SOCIAL CONTINUITY Social

continuity - means that there are barriers and structures within society which are built to resist change

DURKHEIM AND RELIGIONDurkheim’s study of Religion: Religion functions to stabilize society

and bring together a sense of unity and identity between the members of the community

Religion allows societies to be stabilized. This occurs in the reenacting of rituals, which creates intense emotions and bonding between the participants.

EXAMPLE OF SOCIAL CONTINUITY:

LEGAL DEFINITION OF FAMILY

VS. RELIGIOUS DEFINITION OF FAMILY

Canadian legislation has extended the legal definition of family from the original concept (based on heterosexual marriage and biological links to children) to include:

Step parents Unwed fathers Co-habitation Unmarried and married homosexual partners

Why is this significant? These groups now have the same rights and

responsibilities that heterosexual couples (original definition) have – i.e. health benefits, child custody, assets etc.

EVOLVING LEGAL DEFINITION OF FAMILY

Charter of the Rights of the Family:

B: family is based on marriage – between man and woman – freely contracted – publically expressed – indissoluble (can not be dissolved) - open to the transmission of life

E: a community of love – teach cultural, ethical, social, spiritual, and religious values essential for development of its members and society

ROMAN CATHOLIC VIEW OF THE FAMILY

RELIGION Religion is a traditional institution that

does not often change In some cases religion is the main basis

for the law and culture in a society In some cases, religion does not change

to meet the needs of a society – example is the legal definition of family in Canada (changed) vs. the religious definition (stayed the same)

TRADITIONAL CULTURAL VALUES Impediment/barrier to social change People unwilling to accept social change Push to stick with old cultural practices

and avoid modern changes

Case Study: The San of Southern Africa The San were hunter-gatherers in central Southern Africa Nomadic people who travelled extensively over a wide area They had not developed a system of cultivating fruits &

vegetables In mid-1960s, countries of Botswana & Namibia were

created with fenced borders that ran through area over which the San roamed

Result: Progress for some countries BUT the livelihood of San were destroyed & they had to give up traditional lifestyle & many went to work in gold mines of South Africa

The San Bushmen of South Saharan Africa http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTagNNqSfhI&feature=related

EXAMPLES OF TRADITIONAL CULTURAL GROUPS

EXPENSE OF CHANGE The price of change might

be too high for a society to be willing to support Canadian Social Example –

introduction of government health care in the 1960s – social values vs. tax payers $$$$, 1 year maternity/paternity leave

Increasing cost of post-secondary education

Can cause some to feel excluded from the social change because they cannot afford it